1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for selecting a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card in a mobile terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for establishing a call via a desired SIM card using a specific code corresponding to the SIM card without selecting or changing the SIM card in a mobile terminal that supports a plurality of SIM cards.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the development of communication technologies, network systems of various communication schemes are now provided. Various kinds of network systems may be supported and one network system may be provided depending on the region. Additionally, the various kinds of network systems provide different billing systems depending on the service provider. For example, in Russia, fees vary for each kind of a network depending on the region. Therefore, the conventional art provides a technique for mounting two Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards on one mobile terminal to support two kinds of networks, so that a user may selectively receive a desired network service depending on the user's desires.
At this point, the mobile terminal stores two pieces of International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) information in one SIM card and selects IMSI information according to a user's selection or supports two SIM cards using two main chips as if two terminals were assembled in one case to use IMSI information stored in each SIM card.
The mobile terminal that uses IMSI information stored in each SIM card by supporting two SIM cards needs to input a counterpart user's phone number for call establishment, and select a desired SIM card using a SIM card selection key in order to allow a user to establish a call using a desired SIM card.
As described above, a process of selecting a SIM card to be used through a key for changing a SIM card requires separate key input, causing inconvenience to a user, and increasing the amount of time it takes to establish a call.
For example, when a user desires to establish a call using a second SIM card but a first SIM card is selected in the mobile terminal, a user of the mobile terminal inputs a counterpart user's phone number, changes from the first SIM card to the second SIM card using a key for changing a SIM card, and then presses a TALK button, thereby initiating a call using the second SIM card.
In the above-described method, a general call establishment process is performed only in the case where a SIM card to be used by a user and a SIM card selected by the mobile terminal are the same. When the SIM card to be used by the user and the SIM card selected by the mobile terminal are not the same, a separate process of changing a SIM card needs to be performed.